The Sacredness of Work - Weekday Homily Video

Growing up, I had a neighbor who was a carpenter. Nothing fancy—small town jobs: fixing sagging doors, building dining tables, mending leaking roofs patched more times than you could count. His hands were rough like tree bark, his knees creaked like old floorboards. No one gave him awards. No crowds gathered to watch him work. But there was a quiet pride about him—the kind that comes not from money, the kind that comes not from fame, but from knowing you built something that mattered, something that would last. When I think of Saint Joseph, I think of that neighbor. And I realize something: holiness often wears work boots, not halos. 

Joseph wasn’t a king, a scholar, a prophet, or a miracle worker. He was a carpenter. A man who built tables and cradles, doorways and dreams. In a town like Nazareth, carpenters were needed but not celebrated. There were no awards for "Best Cabinet Maker." No headlines for "Outstanding Local Dad." Just day after day, steady work and steady love. 

Imagine Joseph coming home after a long day. Maybe he built a fence for a farmer who then tried to pay him with vegetables instead of coins. Maybe his tools broke. Maybe the pay didn’t come on time. He trudges home, tired, only to see that the leaky roof at his own house needs fixing too.  

Work as a Part of Paradise

The entire Bible tells us that work is sacred. In the beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden—not a palace—and gave them the task of tending it. Work was part of paradise, not a punishment. And after Eden, it became a way to love even in the struggle. 

Joseph and Mary dreamed of a simple life—a good home in Nazareth, work that paid the bills, a happy family. But then came the detours. Mary’s unexpected pregnancy. A government order to travel to Bethlehem at the worst possible time. There was no Uber to Bethlehem. No hotel reservations. Joseph might have muttered “Really, Lord? Right now? A donkey ride to Bethlehem with a pregnant wife?” And, again, fleeing in the dead of night to Egypt to save their child’s life. Crossing desert lands. Living as immigrants in a foreign country, scraping together a living however he could. 

None of it was on Joseph’s map. And yet, at every fork in the road, Joseph chose trust over fear. He kept going. Not because he had all the answers, but because he trusted that even broken roads could lead to God’s promises.

A Path to Holiness

On this special feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker, we also turn to Mary, his beloved spouse, and crown her as Queen. Just as Joseph labored with love and protected the Holy Family, Mary nurtured it with tenderness and prayer. Together, they show us how the quiet faithfulness of family life becomes a path to holiness. 

And isn’t that our story too? You and I don’t live smooth, picture-perfect lives. We planned good things: steady jobs, peaceful homes, healthy families, obedient kids. Instead, sometimes we get layoffs, hospital visits, broken appliances, sleepless nights worrying about our kids’ future. We end up patching broken dreams with too little time and too little patience. 

Parents staying up late, worrying over their children's choices. Teachers pouring into students who may never remember their names. Workers saving penny by penny, to give their family a better life. Grandparents praying quietly for their grandchildren, planting seeds they know they won't live to harvest. 

And Joseph stands beside us—with calloused hands on our shoulders—and says, "You’re still on God’s road. Keep walking." You may not get applause. There might not be trumpets or headlines. But somewhere in heaven, Saint Joseph—carpenter, dreamer, detour-taker—is smiling at you with quiet pride. Because in every hard road you walk with love, you are building something eternal. You are laying the foundation for resurrections you cannot yet imagine. 

So, if your life today feels like a messy detour, take heart. You are in good company. And where Saint Joseph walks, God's dreams are still alive. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us. Mary, Queen of the Rosary, pray for us. 

• Today’s Readings

• Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page. 

• To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)